The apex Singapore Court of Appeal has repeatedly asserted that a “broad-brush approach” must be taken in the division of matrimonial assets. This means recognising both, direct financial and in-direct homemaking contributions rendered by spouses. This approach gives effect to the philosophy that “both roles are equally fundamental to the well-being of a marital partnership”…...

What is considered as littering? If you throw any rubbish on the ground, it is littering. This includes littering from a high rise building and from a vehicle. Are biodegradable things like apple cores and banana skins considered to be litter? Yes. Is it illegal to litter at places where there are cleaners to clean…...

Many who are considering divorce would also consider the option of mediation rather than litigation for the following reasons: It helps you save on expenses as court litigation is extremely costly It takes much less time than the average court-based divorce Mediation sessions are private compared to court proceedings that are on public record Relationships…...

An Interim Custody, Care and Control (ICCC) order governs the care arrangements for the children of marriage prior to a divorce pending the finalization of the divorce, which is concluded with the issuance of a Final Judgment. There are usually three issues that will be determined in an ICCC order: Custody – refers to the…...

What if my spouse “kidnaps” our child to another country? The biggest nightmare of any parent going through a divorce is the possibility of never seeing his or her child again. Even worse, when you wake up the next day or return home from work only to find out that your spouse and the child…...

Who can claim for spousal maintenance? The Women’s Charter provides that the wife or an incapacitated husband can claim for maintenance from the other spouse. When can a claim for spousal maintenance be made? An application could be made to the Family Justice Court (FJC) at any time during the marriage or during the divorce…...

Ordinarily, the Family Justice Courts could only order financial relief in the form of division of matrimonial assets (s 112, Women’s Charter (“WCh)), or maintenance of the former spouse (s 113, WCh) in respect of marriages that had been terminated in Singapore. However, after the Women’s Charter (Amendment) Act 2011, the power to seek such…...

Prenuptial agreements are a common trend in marriages today. They often involve the spouses entering into an agreement, prior to marriage, which sets out the manner in which various ancillary matters relating to their marriage would be arranged should they inevitably decide to end their marriage at an undetermined point in the future. This includes…...

When is a person guilty of using “criminal force”? Criminal force under Section 350 is a charge that is taken very seriously in Singapore. This is especially when criminal force is used in furtherance of sexual crimes such as outrage of modesty or in cases of wrongful confinement as well as cases which deter a…...

A key legislation which proscribes dangerous driving behaviour in Singapore is the Road Traffic Act (“RTA”). This legislation regulates the conduct of road users and the use of vehicles in Singapore. In this article, we will look at some common driving offences and their prescribed punishments. Reckless or dangerous driving Section 64(1) of the RTA…...